What Did You Learn In Church Today?

[DragonFox91]

3/3/24 am on 2 Chron 14
"Cannot be exempt from trial……..No one knows himself except thru trial" Augustine
Trials will come. Some don’t end during lifetime. Don’t panic, blame others, be angry, neglect your duty, think it’ll just go away, or despair
Total devotion to God requires trusting him at the pressure points. Extreme pressure brings to light our true loyalty & trust
When Asa was under pressure, he fulfilled his personal responsibility
He built up cities & armies in case of emergencies so you need to prepare yourself. Time when resources fall short. Maybe a different pressure then what you prepared for. Egyptian army attacked Asa
Asa didn't put ultimate trust in his resources & sought God in humble prayer
Acknowledge the Lord as God & his strength, you’re dependent on him, you’re where your at b/c him, & it’s for him
B/c Asa trusted God under pressure, God granted him great victory. Extreme pressures cause us to understand what trusting God means. It doesn't mean neglecting personal responsibility. Beware of the arrogance of self-sufficiency
"When I was secure I said I will never be shaken......You made me stand like a mountain......When you hid......I was terrified.......I called to you" Psalm 30
Also keeps you turning from God. & sometimes biggest trials come later in life.
We must learn to pray & train for the long journey & not the short stint

SS on 2 Pet 2
Why people leave the faith: requires hard work
False prophets lure by the flesh. Ads, movies, everywhere. No atheists, we all worship something
Watch for immature believers. Stronger in community. Be discipled.
Biblical freedom: Enjoy the fullfillment & will of God. Fish on land isn't free, is gonna die.
Once saved, always following. Not profession but posession of the Spirit
Apostates judged. They let sin in.
Submit to vs submit to knowing
Let God transform your nature

pm Acts 5
God has a heart for the Gospel. Love God, people, & the Gospel
See & help people. Speak about Jesus w/out backing down. Obey God rather than men
God loves people & the Gospel b/c the Gospel is the message for life. He supports us when we say the Gospel

 

[DragonFox91]

3/10 am Luke 19
2 Kings 5: Insignificant do significant: In time of Israel spiritual decline, captured Israel girl tells powerful Syrian captain to go to God’s prophet for healing from God. She’s alone, w/ enemy, too young, just a girl, a slave, they caused it, why should she care. Odds say they wouldn’t listen to her. Consequences if he’s not healed, many opportunities for it not to happen (not find Elisha, king says no, Naaman says no river, number of times) & what if God says no.
Always opportunity for mission if you look. Witness boldly & w/ hope
Take the risk. Don’t be concerned about negative consequences
Biblical hope: not ‘maybe’ or ‘hopefully.’ A sure & certain hope.
You have something to say: Tell your story. Others need it. Jesus came to seek & save the lost

SS hour:
Speak the Great Commission where it’s prohibited
We aspire to advance it. He must be preached
Luke 24: proclaim his name to all nations
65% live in countries that don't allow religious workers
Go to the ends of the earth where ministry is difficult

PM on Mat 19
Missions sending planters. Teaching programs: Bible schools & seminaries.
Select: Willing servants called by God
Support: Limited resources. "Missions" too broad
Send: Multiply!
Sustain
Every missionary goes to someone else's Jerusalem
Return to your homeland as a missionary

 

[DragonFox91]

3/17 am on Acts 11
God desires his church follows his global plan
The start of the mission church: Everyday-Jewish Christians who fled to Greek Antioch. Before were preaching to Jews only b/c fear, but there’s a mass acceptance in corrupt Antioch -> God’s hand!
The instruction: Barnabas sent to encourage. Jerusalem church felt responsibility so send someone spiritually mature -> church grows
Barnabas & Paul spend 1 year teaching: growth in doctrine & Christ doesn’t happen overnight, you need help. Christian associated w/ Jesus Christ
The laborers: Sent resources in time of need when there was a famine. Meeting needs a pattern. Genuine generosity & love demonstrated. Happens today. Churches send.
Play a part for God's plan
Share Jesus w/ others (who has God given you to share), pray for missionaries (sustain them by prayer) , communicate w/ them (encourages!) , send a gift (help them), visit them (invest), & go to the field yourself (wrestle w/ it)

SS on evangelizing in Japan:
Consider where you'd be w/out the Bible. See healthy churches planted for worship & God's glory
Japan: Buddhism & Shinto. They blend the 2 & say they don't have a religion b/c they think they don’t fit into either one, but it's ingrained in their culture. Not just 'something they do' -> reality of Satan's grip
.5% evangelical (3% identify as Christians).
People need Jesus! Evangelize, disciple, plant churches
2 Cor 4: We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord; and we preach that we are your servants for Jesus.
Are they more open to Catholicism due to its similarities Buddhism / Shinto: No, they view it as something for Westerners
How to evangelize to them: Show it's good for their family & Japan. Individualism doesn’t work

PM on 1 Thess 2
Discipleship: growing in Christ-likeness. Hard work! Love for their maturity to Christ-likeness
Imitate & be imitated
Critical to God: a heart desire

 

[DragonFox91]

3/24 Am on 2 Chron 15
“The eyes of the Lord move…….that he may strongly support” 2 Chron 6
The secret to whole-hearted devotion is found in diligently seeking him
Hard to stay devoted. Unexpected, get cynical, heartbreak’s, who’s in charge. True no matter your situation
Prophet gives Asa a promise: God will respond by letting him find you if you seek him. He doesn’t wait long for you to find him. He disciplines you if you don’t.
Forsaking the Lord comes at a heavy price
Not the same as losing salvation: he disciplines those who belong to him for their good
It begins w/ the rejection of clear Biblical instruction, escalates to involve some sort of idolatry, & spirals more & more into darkness
Prophet reminds Asa of Judges: Good desires at wrong times or small sins lead to big disobedience. Leads to inability to discern right & wrong. He lets us go after what we want but the price is suffering. Have to keep fighting it.
“Draw near to God & he will draw near to you” James 4
Seeking the Lord comes w/ great reward
Prophet calls judgement but also blessing.
“He is a rewarder of those who seek him” Heb 11
We don’t see God b/c we think he’s not worth it, don’t realize what he wants to pour into us.
When we seek him he allows us to find him & strengthens us against the fear of man
Seeking: obeying, trusting, ridding of evils, fostering awe & love, worshipping. It’s the Spirit doing it. Gets rid of paranoia
“The Lord is for me. I will not fear” Psalm 118
When we seek him he strengthens us against fear of the future
You don’t understand but have eternal hope

SS on 2 Pet 3
Mockers say God won’t judge. “I don’t see God judging. I don’t see the moon turning to blood or a dragon or raining fire.”
Remember the prophets (OT) & apostles (NT) - they say it’s coming.
Mockers say “Things haven’t changed. The way it’s now, it’s been thousands of years.” But things have changed, there was a time before now – the world before the Flood.
It’s okay to ask questions! It’s not the same as mocking. Not allowing questions turns people away, leads them to think there aren’t answers, or leads them to a shallow understanding.

PM on Acts 5
½ converts look like actual converts. They usually believe in God, are raised in Bible-believing homes, believe in the value of prayer, know morally right from wrong desiring to follow a Biblical moral code, are often patriots, & are connected w/ a community of faith. But they are lost

 

[DragonFox91]

3/31/24 on Matthew 29
800 eyewitnesses Christ rose. Not myth, so implications for today:
Death & sin not part of God’s original design. Jesus’s resurrection: rescue & victory complete.
All sins, past, present, & future forgiven. You’re gonna make promises to him you won’t sin but you will, still forgives. Fully, freely, forever. You can’t repay it. Thief on the cross: doesn’t forgive based on future actions you take
Eternal life starts now:
Saved for union w/ Christ: To be in Christ, Christ in you. New life. Not just knowing about him but knowing him
Saved for community: Deep community being lost. You won’t fully understand love & grace if you hide your struggles. Cross s/ make us more comfortable inviting in our imperfections
Saved for mission: Created the way you are & placed where you’re at w/ the Holy Spirit to live out the Gospel for God’s glory & to advance the kingdom

PM on 1 Cor 15
B/c Jesus rose from the dead, those who follow Jesus will rise from the dead
The manner: changed
The moment: quick

 

[DragonFox91]

Am 4/7/24 on 2 Chron 16
Views of success: wealth, what you build, family, how busy you are, power, places you’ve been. God measures value of life different: if you invested in him.
You waste your life chasing idols or invest it in pursuing the Lord
Idols haven’t gone away. Some like alcoholoism obvious, but we have ‘respectable’ idols.
Any assessment of Asa must take into account his policy to idolatry
Asa’s life stood as an example in devotion to God smashing idols devoted to human pleasure.
Any assessment of our life must take into account our love for God & our hatred of idols
Idolatry: sacrificing for created things instead of the Creator for happiness
Dominates you. Cravings that conform you. Makes you spiritually insensitive. Causes division to others.
“Let him that glories glory in this………that he know God” – Jer 9
You live a life of God-reliance or self-reliance
Asa thinks he has the experience & wisdom to get rid of threat of Israel king by making treaty w/ Syria. Has success & likely support of the people but seer says he did not seek God, he sought a pagan king instead.
When under pressure is seeking God in prayer you 1st or last thought?
“Less then ½ Americans attend church……Hope for the Church?” Denison Forum
Church will go on but self-reliance doesn’t work

SS on 2 Pet 3
Some obsessed w/ End Times -> If you think you know, you probably don’t
Mockers don’t think it will happen & say why hasn’t it happened
Those who say 1 day = 1000 years not right b/c also says 1 year = 1000 days. It’s a comparison -> like, as
He’s not slow: you’re impatient! He’s always on time. He exists outside time
No set time given in Bible -> speaks against those who want a set time
Preceptive will is what God asks. “Not wanting any to perish but to repent” is perceptive will -> He says it’s coming
So live righteously & expectantly

Pm on John 18
“Highest joy…..comes from suffering. No flower…….not transplanted from Gethsemane” – Alexander Mclaren
Christ’s example in suffering is submission. He knew all the suffering in advance & did not stop it. He submitted to the Father’s will & not humans’ will
Our power for submission in suffering: Set your eyes on Jesus & the finish line, & get your eyes off the shame

I missed this past Sunday's services. These are from 2 weeks ago

 

[DragonFox91]

4/21 am on Heb 4
Painful things are going to happen. For a purpose. Christian life easy when things going well, especially in the beginning, but when things get hard you wonder is it worth it.
God never loses touch w/ us even when we're being tested & tempted
He knows everything about you. Never leaves us, forgets us, or lets us out of his sight. Cares for us. Is a shepherd.
He knows us perfectly thru the eye of his Word. It's alive, powerful, pierces to the very heart, & lays us bare before him.
It exposes to us what is going on inside of us: who we are & our motivations. Brings comfort he knows the good & the bad. Spots a troubled heart, bitterness, doubts, what we really believe. Will lead to spiritual health & treatment for sin.
Sometimes w/ his Word ‘nothing happens’ but it’s still nourishing! A seed that gives life & plants more seeds. Revives!
Word for sword not talking about a long sword but a short sword used for precision. What you hide is out in the open for him. Cuts the bad out. Surgery not going to help if you don’t go to surgery table!
He knows us thru the experiences of his Son. Jesus has lived our experiences. He has become our great high priest. There's an open door between you & the Father.
He can sympathize with your weaknesses, knows what it’s like to be sad, to have weight on you, to be tempted. Doesn’t just feel for you, feels it with you. He is not apathetic. Can go to him in prayer thru Christ w/ needs, boldly & expectantly

SS on 2 Pet 3
Your calendar is for yourself or for God. You steer to what you look at
Don't bring down the name of Christ! Be set apart!
You have the urgent cure! It will be awkward, but an eternal soul is at stake
The Bible can be confusing but nothing contradicts. Use the simpler parts to help understand the confusing
Knowledge is good but apply it!

PM on Acts 6
Stephen is Spirit-filled. His life urges you to live w/ the joy of knowing Christ in you & the hope of glory
Jesus is near! You have hope in him!
The Message: The Law of Moses is a shadow pointing to Christ
The Martyr: The Gospel goes out

 

[DragonFox91]

4/29/24 am on Pslm 121
Distance in universe to God like one of your fingertips to another & that same God graciously helps us.
"My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven & earth." Pslm 121
If you want God's help, you must admit you need his help. We need help desperately.
We think we can make it on our own & don't like to view ourselves as weak, but God usually picks the weak, the least, & the helpless. We are crushed without him. We rely on him rather than be defeated
"My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Cor 12
We need help b/c life's journey has many dangers, temptations, & difficulties
Idols & unpredictabilities. God is w/ us every step. Like a microphone.
You must frequently remind yourself of your help's true source. Ask where your help comes from
Not money, education, electricity, food, family. But human resources can fail, can be gone in an instant. They are here b/c God's love - your savior Jesus Christ who died to atone for your sins
Your helper made heaven & earth
Your recources did not. Your fears did not. Science shows how big universe is, but all it is just a speck to God that shows his creative might & yet still cares for us.
"Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven & earth" Pslm 124
Your help is never indifferent, unavailable, or out of touch.
He never goes to sleep (pagans thought gods slept). Always up-to-the-minute in your situation. Always at work doing something unfolding his plan on his time. Never lets go of you.
Your helper gives around-the-clock protection that is unwavering & consistent for every situation & season. He guards you in the face of evil & injury.
Bad things will happen but God uses evil for good. Others will remind you of the true source so you never lose hope
He guards all your activities now & forever
Does discipline you & wants you to move forward.

SS on Gal 5
God the Father gave us the Holy Spirit. He teaches you, gives you peace, & prompts remembering. He is another helper.
The Father sent the Spirit to convict & let us inherit the kingdom. He guides in truth
It's important to know the works of the flesh b/c they will not inherit the kingdom.
The Fruit of the Spirit pleases God. It's important to evaluate if they're evident b/c it's a way to know if you're saved. Ways to practice them: be kind & show grace
The Spirit leads us. There are no coincidences & that leads to gratefulness. It's a gift!

Acts 8
Simon the Magician appeared a convert, but he was attracted to the power of the Holy Spirit & how he could use it
False converts ‘convert’ b/c what they want to get out of it. Tests in life separate who’s a true convert.

 

[DragonFox91]

5/5/24 am on Pslm 136
“His steadfast love endures forever” - Pslm 136
Remember: Repetition. Easy to turn to selfishness & ungodliness away from the Lord. There is backlash for standing up for righteousness & speaking against sin, but don’t be deceived. Lies: “It’s not a big deal.” “I’ll ask for forgiveness after.” “It’s in private.” Remember his faithfulness to you & his word & Spirit he’s given you to overcome temptation.
The steadfast love of God: ever-certain & present. Secure. Deep. Favor. Promises. Faithful. No end. You are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. Not always felt. Beyond understanding. Doesn’t matter your life status. Unchangable. You are needy for him. B/c all comes from him. Rose up for us to give life.
Thankfulness: In all circumstances b/c we have every reason to be. Not thankful: Sin. Going against God’s will
God's attributes: His goodness (using bad for good), his authority (is above all things), his sovernigty (all is in his control), the creator (of all things), the deliverer (thru the wilderness), the victor (over his enemies), the savior (from sin), ever praiseworthy!

PM on 1 Jhn 5
Eternal life is found in Jesus Christ alone
3 witnesses (proofs) from God: Jesus's baptism ("This is my Son"), the blood (he died), the Spirit (prompts us). They stand as indictments to the non-believer
Eternal life means: you have the Son, you are free of God's wrath, & it begins when you are saved